However, Palumbo noted he understands that court orders sometimes are specific in their direction of settlement money.

In this case, West Virginia’s share of the nationwide mortgage settlement — like the other 48 states — is earmarked to help struggling homeowners, Deputy Attorney General Jill Miles told the Record in June.

“There is a provision in the court’s order that the money be used for housing-related issues,” she said. “It’s not within our province or the province of the state Legislature (to use it for other purposes). It has been mandated by the federal district court of the District of Columbia.”

But Heath contends the attorney general is spending money on “pet projects” to simply boost his political prospects.

“West Virginia Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse’s latest research shows Attorney General McGraw has unilaterally spent more than $430,000 of state settlement funds on advertisements that conveniently promote the attorney general’s name at the same time he is running for reelection,” he said Wednesday.

“It’s an insult to West Virginia workers and their families that McGraw continues to waste state funds for seemingly his own political prospects, and not for the greatest benefit of all West Virginians.”

Heath argues that the attorney general can’t be trusted to spend state funds responsibly and that lawmakers need to take action to hold him accountable and make sure monies are appropriated properly.